With Ramzan round the corner, hectic preparations are afoot in Muslim households in the city, particularly stocking up food items for the daily Iftar (the breaking of the fast at dusk each day) and for the Sehri (the pre-dawn meal).
Kirana shop owners said pickles, dates, pulses, lentils, besan, edible oil and rice are the fastest moving items. Wealthy Muslims also buy large quantities of rice, edible oil, pulses, besan, dates and sugar to distribute to poor families. “The concept behind Ramzan is to get closer to Allah through fasting, prayers and charity. It is sad that Ramzan is seen only as a ‘festival’ by most people. It is not a festival, but an extended period of prayers and of bonding with God and society. We distribute food grains to the needy so that they too can devote their time to prayers and not be worried about Iftar,” said Iftekharunnisa Begum, a resident of the old city.
Maria Fatima, a resident of Begumpet said that the distribution of food grains to relatives and poor before Ramzan should not be confused with giving alms. A huge rush could be seen at places like Qadeem Achar Ghar in Chowk, where people throng to buy pickles, and at Begum Bazaar, where dates are sold at wholesale rates as also plates, tumblers and dishes.
People from nearby districts also shop in areas like Charminar, Pathergatti, Gulzar Houz. “We came from Medak to purchase groceries, dates, pickles and clothes. Every year this is our practice. We come to Hyderabad, especially to the Charminar area for the pre-Ramzan and Ramzan shopping,” said Mohammed Iqbal from Sangareddy who was shopping with his family in the Charminar area.